Antoine Baroan has completed a loan move from FC Rapid 1923 to Portuguese side Avs FS, in a deal that sees the centre-forward leave Romania’s SuperLiga for a stint in Liga Portugal. The loan officially begins on 2026-02-02 and is scheduled to run until 2026-06-30, after which the 25-year-old is set to return to Rapid at the end of the agreement.
The transfer is registered as a loan transfer, with Rapid retaining the player’s rights while Avs FS secure his services for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign. Baroan arrives in Portugal with a current market value of €600k, reflecting a career that has already taken him through several European leagues and clubs. Contractually, the structure means there is no indication of an immediate permanent option, and the forward is due back at Rapid when the loan expires on 2026-06-30.
Baroan, born in Niort and holding both French and Ivorian nationality, joins Avs FS as an attacking reinforcement, primarily operating as a centre-forward and preferring his left foot. Standing at 1.88m, he offers a physical presence in the final third and adds depth to the Portuguese club’s forward line as they navigate the demands of Liga Portugal.
The move continues a well-travelled career path. Developed in the Chamois Niortais system, Baroan progressed from FC Chamois Niort U19 to FC Chamois Niort B in 2017, then into the Chamois Niortais FC first team in 2019. In 2021 he left France for Bulgaria with Botev Plovdiv, where his market value rose as high as €1.6m and later €1.5m and €1m during his time there, before a switch to Swiss side FC Winterthur in 2024. A loan to Ludogorets Razgrad followed in early 2025, before he returned to Winterthur and subsequently signed for Rapid 1923 ahead of the 2025-26 season in Romania.
His career trajectory shows frequent movement and adaptation to different football cultures: France’s domestic structure, Bulgaria’s top flight with both Botev Plovdiv and Ludogorets Razgrad, Switzerland’s Super League via Winterthur, Romania’s SuperLiga with Rapid, and now Portugal’s top tier through Avs FS. Across this journey, his valuation has fluctuated from €300k in his early Niort days to peaks above €1m in Bulgaria before settling at €600k at Rapid in late 2025.
This loan also carries medium-term implications. With the agreement ending on 2026-06-30 and no contract-expiry details listed beyond that, Baroan’s longer-term status after his return to Rapid could move into focus, particularly if his situation in Bucharest changes or if Avs FS or another club seek a permanent deal. For now, however, the move is strictly temporary and clearly defined within that loan window.
For Avs FS, the acquisition of a 25-year-old international-profile forward with experience in multiple European leagues represents a calculated attempt to bolster their attacking options for the run-in. For Baroan, it is another chance to reassert his value in a major European competition and potentially shape the next step of his career once the loan concludes on 2026-06-30.
